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An Internship That Matters

If you have progressive values and are looking for a school year internship that will make a difference, have we got a deal for you! Illinois Tenth Congressional District Democrats (Tenth Dems) is accepting applications for its  Fall 2024 Internship Program. The internship is a substantive program designed for high school, college, and graduate students seeking an opportunity to become deeply engaged in the political process.

Tenth Dems interns help Lake Dems at Illinois Democratic County Chairs
Association Brunch and Governor’s Day picnic at the State Fair August 2023.

Tenth Dems is a grassroots political organization that helps mobilize voters and activists throughout the 10th Congressional District. This is a good time to complete a political internship as we organize for the critically important 2024 elections.

Tenth Dems interns have staffed issue forums and events for elected officials and candidates up and down the ballot, worked on campaigns, and conducted research. Our interns are very active during the election cycles at the local, state and federal levels. We help turn out the vote for Democrats running for office at all levels of government. Interns may choose to complete general internships or specialize in areas such as media, technology, volunteer management, and political outreach.

Internships are unpaid, educational positions; however, academic credit is often available.

“This is an opportunity to learn about a grassroots political organization and to develop important skills,” said former State Representative Lauren Beth Gash, the Founder of the Tenth Dems. “Many interns have gone on to law school or other graduate programs, as well as paid political positions with local campaigns, and jobs in Springfield, Washington, and with national not-for-profit organizations.” Acceptance into the program is selective and contingent upon an interview.

Residency in the 10th Congressional District is not required but applicants must have an interest in electing Democrats, and devote a minimum of 8 hours per week to the internship during the school year.

Applicants should submit a brief paragraph explaining why they would like to be part of the program, along with a resume summarizing their educational background and activities. Neither need be formal. To apply or request more information, email us at info@tenthdems.org.

– Bonnie Berger-Neel, Chair of Tenth Dems

 

Weekly Update Newsletter: June 13 – Lake Dems Defending Democracy Reception

 

Trump Criminal Co-Defendant Coming To Lake County, To Be “Special Guest Speaker” At Upcoming Meeting By Extremist Local Republicans

While the rest of the country is watching the historic trial of Donald Trump in New York, local Republicans are hosting a currently indicted co-defendant of Donald Trump’s. After Trump lost Georgia in the 2020 election, election worker Ruby Freeman was repeatedly lied about by Trump and threatened by his supporters, so she called 911. Election denier Stephen Lee appeared at Freeman’s home on consecutive days, banging on her door. Lee was then criminally indicted in Georgia for what The Washington Post described as “[trying] to coerce an election worker to falsely confess to voter fraud.” Antioch Township Republicans, who are featuring Lee as Special Guest Speaker at their May 1st meeting, pathetically describe it instead as “a political and religious persecution.”

“Rather than stand up to Donald Trump and his MAGA extremism, local Republicans continue to move closer and closer to Trump. Embracing an indicted Trump co-defendant who allegedly intimidated an election worker shows how out of touch the local Republican Party has become. Lake County voters have overwhelmingly rejected Trump before, and they are seeing more and more how the local Republicans fail to reflect their values. Democrats are going to win again in Lake County in 2024 because the contrast between Democrats who get things done and extremist Republicans is so clear,” said Lake County Democrats Chair Lauren Beth Gash.

Remarkably, this is just the latest example of local Republicans embracing the indicted Stephen Lee. (Click here for more.) In October 2023, the Antioch Republicans held a fundraiser featuring Lee’s attorney, himself an election denier who had been sanctioned earlier in the year for filing a frivolous election challenge. The GOP event was attended by Republican nominee for Congress in the 10th District, Jim Carris, and Mary Cole, the Republican nominee for Lake County State’s Attorney, among others.

Antioch Republicans describing the criminal indictment of Trump co-defendant Stephen Lee as a “political and religious persecution” in their invite to their May meeting where Lee is a Special Guest Speaker.

Lake County Republicans Promote Yet Another Gun Raffle

Rather than working to prevent gun violence, Republicans in Lake County have chosen to promote the use of guns as a fundraising prize instead. Just as they have in recent years, Lake County Republicans are promoting a gun raffle in the area. Shared on social media by the official Facebook page for the Lake County Illinois Republican Central Committee, the “Friends of the NRA” ‘s so-called “The Future of Freedom” event on Thursday, March 28th, in Gurnee, includes special “single shot” and “double barrel” packages, along with several guns and NRA gear as prizes.

“The reason more people in Lake County are supporting Democrats is because they know Democrats represent their values and the Republican Party is increasingly becoming dangerously out of touch. While Democrats organize to prevent gun violence, extremist Lake County Republicans simply refuse to take the issue seriously. Democrats are going to win again in Lake County in 2024 because of sharp contrasts like this,” said Lake County Democrats Chair Lauren Beth Gash.

This is the latest example of local Republicans pushing guns as raffle prizes. In 2022, the Lake Villa Republicans faced backlash for their decision to hold a gun raffle weeks after the horrific school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. In 2017, less than two weeks after the terrible mass shooting during a country music festival in Las Vegas, the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history, the Lake County Republicans threw a fundraiser with guns as raffle prizes for political donors.

Tenth Dems Enjoy a Laugh-Filled Afternoon

Almost 100 Tenth Dems members and friends laughed along with the Capitol Fools comedy troupe’s matinee performance last Sunday at Skokie’s North Shore Center for the Performing Arts. The political talk and camaraderie continued during dinner next door at Jameson’s Charhouse.